Sweet Corn & Quinoa Tikki

 

          Fried snacks are anytime welcome by most of us. However, for a change, how about giving them a healthy touch without compromising on the taste and flavor? So check out these yummy shallow fried tikkis, made of Sweet Corn and Quinoa, which is worth a try and tastes absolutely yummy. 

          

          They are very easy and simple to prepare. They are irresistible as appetizers or party snacks. They can also be relished as an evening tea-time snack, inside a bun as a patty or rolled in a chapatti / paratha for a quick snack on the go. 

          Do try them and include them in the menu of any in-house party. All it needs to be done is to mix all the ingredients, make tikkis and shallow fry them to perfection. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these amazing tikkis. 

           

• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1/2 cup boiled quinoa
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 3-4 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. roasted gram flour
• 2-3 tbsp. corn flour
• oil to shallow fry

          Blend the sweet corn without adding any water into a slightly coarse paste. 

          To it add the boiled quinoa, chopped onion, grated ginger, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, all the dry spices, corn flour and roasted gram flour. Mix everything well. 

           Wet your hands and make flat round tikkis. 

           Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them in batches, till golden brown on both sides. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

  Blend the sweet corn without adding any water into a slightly coarse paste. 

                   To it add the boiled quinoa, 

chopped onion, grated ginger, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, 

roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, 

         salt to taste, corn flour and roasted gram flour. Mix everything well. 

                    Wet your hands and make flat round tikkis. 

Heat oil in a pan & shallow fry them in batches, till golden brown on both sides. 

                   Drain on a kitchen towel.

             Serve them hot with tomato sauce, coconut chutney or green chutney.

Arbi Stir Fry (Colocasia Stir Fry)

 

            Arbi Stir Fry is a quick and a simple stir fry to go as a side dish along with your rice or chapattis. It is a dry version which is both spicy and tangy due to the presence of red chili powder and lime juice. The spice level can be adjusted according to your preference. This yummy stir fry is absolutely a hit with curd-rice or sambar rice. 

          

          It takes a matter of a few minutes to dish out this delicacy if the arbi is already boiled and refrigerated to save time. Please note - there is no onion, garlic or ginger, so it is a perfect dish to be had during fasting, though ginger can be included if preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.

• 12-15 arbi (colocasia)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. 

            When cool, drain them and peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

            Heat oil in a pan and sauté the arbi along with salt and Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

            In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves and green chilies for a few seconds and add them to the fried arbi. 

            Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

            Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. When cool, drain them & peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the arbi along with salt & Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves & green chilies for a few seconds. 

Add them to the fried arbi. Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Soya Seaweed Tikki / Cutlet / Patty

 

           These yummy shallow fried tikkis, made of soya nuggets and seaweed is so easy and simple to prepare. They are irresistible as appetizers or party snacks. They can also be relished as an evening tea-time snack, inside a bun as a patty or rolled in a chapatti / paratha for a quick snack on the go. So choice is yours. Do try them and include them in the menu of any in-house party. I have added few basic ingredients and seasonings to dish out these small bites. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these amazing tikkis. 

           

• 1 cup soya granules, soaked, drained & mashed
• 1-2 nori sheets / seaweeds, shredded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala 
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2-3 tbsp. gram flour (besan)
• 2-3 tbsp. corn flour
• oil to shallow fry

          In a large bowl, mix together the mashed soya, onion, ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves and all the dry spices. Mix everything well.

           Then add the corn flour, gram flour and the shredded seaweed. Give it a mix.

           Wet your hands and make flat round tikkis. 

           Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them in batches, till golden brown on both sides. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

In a large bowl, mix together the mashed soya, onion, ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves

                    and all the dry spices. Mix everything well.

                    Then add the corn flour, gram flour

                      and the shredded seaweed. Give it a mix.

                  Wet your hands & make flat round tikkis.

Heat oil in a pan & shallow fry them in batches, till golden brown on both sides. 

                     Drain on a kitchen towel.

                  Serve them hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Foxtail Millet Veg. Sushi Rolls - Fusion style

 

          Japanese Cuisine is full of surprises and are basically simple and healthy. So, give a twist to the original Maki Sushi Rolls by substituting rice with millet. So these healthy and guilt free sushi rolls are diabetic friendly. 

          These Maki Sushi Rolls are prepared with Foxtail millet. However, you can go in for any other variety of your choice. Very few ingredients goes into making this comfort meal. They can also be relished for breakfast, as appetizers, snacks or main course with tomato sauce. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of these yummy Foxtail Millet Veggie Sushi Rolls. 

          In this recipe, Cooked and mashed millet sushi rice, nori sheets and few julienne veggies are the main ingredients. Apart, from the veggies I have used, you can also add any other variety too, like, capsicum, bell peppers, sautéed paneer, spring onion, coriander & mint leaves, etc. 

          Seaweed is widely used by the Japanese and the Chinese as well. It contains a lot of minerals, nutrients, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is highly recommended for a well balanced diet. You can make various dishes with it. 

          

• 1/2 cup Foxtail millet, soaked for 3-4 hours
• 3 nori sheets
• 1 cup mixed veggies or as required, cut into long strips (cucumber, carrot, beetroot, lettuce leaves)
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce or as required

          Cook the millet as you normally do. Keep it aside to cool down slightly. Then  mash well and keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, mix together the mashed millet, lime juice, salt, pepper powder and red chili flakes. 

          Take a sushi (bamboo) mat and place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands and spread a handful of the cooked & mashed millet over the nori sheet. 

          Then add some tomato sauce, followed by few of the sliced veggies. 

          Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

          Once done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into equal size portions with a sharp knife. Keep cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

          Serve immediately with tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

In a small bowl, mix together the mashed millet, lime juice, salt, pepper powder & red chili flakes. 

Take a sushi mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked & mashed millet over the nori sheet. Then add some tomato sauce, 

                   followed by few of the sliced veggies. 

Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Transfer to a chopping board & cut them into equal size portions with a sharp knife. Keep cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

Serve immediately with tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Veg. Maki Sushi Rolls - Japanese style

 

          Japanese Cuisine is full of surprises and are basically simple and healthy. So check out these yummy and visually appealing Japanese Maki Sushi Rolls. Kids will enjoy if they are involved in making them. In fact, it is a best way to serve fussy kids with their favorite dips. They can be packed in their lunch box with their favorite stuffing. They will be a sure hit with them.

          These Maki Sushi Rolls are made with Sushi rice. Very few ingredients goes into making them. They can also be relished as appetizers, snacks or main course with soya sauce. For a change, I sprinkled some red chili flakes and pepper powder over the boiled rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of these yummy Veggie Maki Sushi Rolls. 

            

          Cooked sushi rice which is sticky and seaweeds are the two main ingredients in this recipe. However, in the absence of the former, I used Egyptian rice. They came out perfect. 

          Seaweed is widely used by the Japanese and the Chinese as well. It contains a lot of minerals, nutrients, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is highly recommended for a well balanced diet. You can make various dishes with it. 

          

• 1 cup Sushi / Egyptian rice
• 1 & 1/4 cup water
• 3 nori sheets
• mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• mayonnaise as required
• tomato sauce as required
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• soya sauce to serve

          Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the drained rice and simmer, covered on a low flame for 12-15 minutes. Set aside and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. 

          In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice and combine well. Keep it covered. 

          Take a sushi (bamboo) mat and place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands and spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. 

          Sprinkle some red chili flakes / pepper powder over it. Then add some mayonnaise / tomato sauce place, followed by some of the stuffing.

          Now with the help of the sushi mat roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

          Once done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

          Serve immediately with soya sauce and tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes.

Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well & keep aside. In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sugar & salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice & combine well. Keep it covered. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some red chili flakes over it. Then add some mayonnaise,

                     followed by some of the stuffing.

Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some pepper powder over it. Then add some tomato sauce,

                    followed by some of the stuffing.

With the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Transfer to a chopping board & cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

Serve immediately with soya sauce & tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course.